Optical Imaging and Spectroscopy Techniques

Optical imaging and spectroscopy use light—particularly in the near-infrared range, where tissue is relatively transparent—to measure physiological and molecular properties of living tissue without ionizing radiation. Techniques like diffuse optical tomography and near-infrared spectroscopy can track blood oxygenation in the brain in real time, offering a window into neural activity and metabolic function that complements MRI and PET. Fluorescence molecular imaging extends this further by tagging specific biological targets, enabling researchers to visualize cellular and molecular processes in ways that conventional anatomical imaging cannot. Active challenges include improving spatial resolution through better light-transport models such as Monte Carlo simulation, and translating laboratory methods into robust clinical tools for monitoring stroke, brain injury, and disease-related changes in tissue.

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Keywords

Near-Infrared SpectroscopyOptical ImagingTissue Optical PropertiesFluorescence Molecular ImagingDiffuse Optical TomographyBrain Oxygenation Monitoring